The Proposal
by LobsterLobster
Summary: Rick has an important decision to make. Will he figure out what to do? My second official fic request! Special guest character appearance!
1. Chapter 1 - Rick

The Proposal

Prompt from Zeejack: I would like something with Rick planning to propose to Michonne and all the family is trying to help him come up with a great proposal idea and of course we get the actual proposal too cause I love her saying yes she'll marry him!

A/N: Well, I took some liberties with who exactly is giving Rick advice. This is an introspective Rick chapter and the next one will be from Michonne's POV. I was trying to change up my writing style a little bit and it was difficult, but I really hope you like it!

For reference, certain events involving Rick and a certain person who loves owls and plaid shirts either never happened or enough time has passed that nobody cares anymore.

…..

Chapter 1

I climbed the rickety ladder to the main lookout tower and told Sasha that I would take over.

"You sure?" she asked, frowning.

The sun was beginning to set and she had at least a few hours left on her assigned shift.

I nodded.

For a brief moment Sasha looked like she was going to say something else but decided against it.

"Alright," she agreed, and I got the sense that she understood why I was out here.

What I really needed was to be somewhere quiet, to be alone with my thoughts. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I miss Hershel. This was the time of day, evening falling over our home, when we used to talk. If he were here now, I don't even know where I'd start.

'Well, start at the beginning then,' I could almost hear him say in that unhurried way he had.

I should be happy. And I am happy, I really am.

We survived the herd breaking through the walls. We survived an attack by murderous scavengers. Glenn and Daryl got separated from us, briefly stranded out in the world, but we got them back. We rebuilt the walls.

My family is safe, for the moment. And whatever new danger is around the corner, we can handle it. Things are good, truly good.

There is a warm seed of joy deep in my heart, and that seed began to grow on a day that, like many others, could have easily been my last.

I was out on a run with Aaron, Michonne, and Heath. Normally I don't like to be far from Carl and Judith but recent events have left the community severely short-handed and low on medical supplies. We found some of what we needed, enough to get by, and started to head back home.

We'd spotted a large herd passing by safely to the north earlier and could have stayed clear if it hadn't been for a sudden and violent thunderstorm. The walkers became agitated and confused by the loud booms and echoes and the semi-orderly herd disintegrated.

Long story short, I got separated from the others and only caught up to them again after a long and sleepless night huddled in a foul smelling drainage pipe under a bridge, listening to the dead shuffle by. Finally the coast was more or less clear and I made my way back to the street where I'd last seen Michonne and the others.

I remember standing there in the middle of a quiet street, decapitated and dismembered corpses scattered all around. It was a familiar sight, clearly the work of Michonne's katana, and it had happened recently. There were so many, too many to count, too many to imagine.

I walked slowly through the destruction, panic rising, afraid of what I would see next.

"Rick!"

It was Michonne's voice. I turned around, as if waking from a nightmare, and saw her, Aaron, and Heath walking towards me.

I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. When I opened them I could see Michonne running ahead of the others. I smiled and before I could say anything, Michonne was there, dropping her sword and throwing her arms around my neck.

I was briefly surprised by her unusual display of affection, but I certainly wasn't going to complain. I hugged her tightly.

I was even more surprised when she kissed me. The kiss was impulsive and a little unsure, but unmistakably tender, with her body still pressed against mine, her fingers in my hair.

It was in that sudden, breathless moment that I knew, without a doubt, that I would love her for the rest of my life, however long that may be.

To be honest, I don't think I was planning on ever opening that door again. But here I am.

Anyway, that was about a month ago now and we've spent nearly every night since then together.

'So what's the problem, then?' I imagined Hershel asking, with that knowing smirk of his.

I sighed, absently fiddling with my holstered revolver.

"It's not so much a problem as…an uneasiness, I suppose. A feeling of uncertainty," I said, trying to put a name to what was bothering me, what had driven me out here when I should have been at home, getting ready for bed.

It was that old self-doubt catching up to me again. I should be happy, content, but I can't help second guessing everything.

I'm afraid that Michonne doesn't know, really know, how much she means to me. That she doesn't feel the same way about me. That what we have doesn't mean as much to her as it does to me.

But how can I expect her to know what I feel for her if I haven't said it out loud? I know I'm terrible at talking about my feelings. That's what Lori used to say and, to be fair, she did have a point.

So of course she said what she did. I can't blame her for thinking that way.

Last night I got into bed first and, as I lay there waiting for Michonne to finish brushing her teeth, I decided to try. I didn't have any clear idea what I wanted to say, but I felt the need to say something.

Then she came out of the bathroom, smiled that soft Michonne smile that takes my breath away every time, and crawled into bed with me.

I don't even remember what I said, but I remember fumbling the words, stopping and starting again, before she cut me off.

"Rick," she said, leaning over me so that her dreadlocks fell down around our faces like a curtain, "Don't ruin this by talking about it."

The she closed the small distance between us, kissing me seductively.

It wasn't until today that I realized her words had gotten stuck in my head, nagging at me, bothering me.

"Your problem, son," Hershel said, "is all timing."

I ducked my head in embarrassment, but I was smiling, "Yeah, that could be it."

"Do you want my advice?" Hershel asked.

He leaned against the railing to take some weight off of his bad leg. The old man had a habit of asking questions that I knew he knew the answer to. I played along.

"You know I can use all the help I can get," I said.

"Well, your heart is in the right place. If you love her, you need to tell her that. Even if you think she already knows. You still need to say it. Tell her what she means to you. Tell her what you want. Reassurance is important, Rick."

It was solid advice. I know what I feel for her, but how do I take those feelings out of my heart and translate them into English? I don't even know where to start.

As if reading my mind, Hershel continued, "Now here's how you do it. Keep it simple and to the point. Honest. Don't overthink it. You're not trying to write a sonnet."

"Okay," I said, for the first time feeling like maybe I could pull this off.

"There's one more thing, Rick," Hershel said slowly, "You've been given a second chance at love. Trust me, I know what it's like. After my first wife passed, I thought that was it. I didn't think I could ever love again. But I found Annette."

"What I'm saying is, Rick, don't feel guilty for moving on. Michonne is your second chance. And you're hers."

That really hit home. I put my hand to my face, squeezing my eyes against the sudden rush of truth.

I think in the back of my mind I've decided that I don't deserve to be happy, not after everything I've done. How could I?

But maybe that doesn't matter. Michonne deserves to be loved and maybe that's all I need to know.

"Do you know what you need to do?" Hershel asked.

I took a deep breath and answered truthfully, "I do."

When I looked around again Hershel was gone. I was alone on the lookout platform.

The dark night covered Alexandria like a blanket. Crickets chirped in the bushes and I watched over my sleeping home.

"Hershel," I said softly, "I miss you."

…..

TBC!

BONUS TRIVIA: I borrowed a small line from the comics. What is it?


	2. Chapter 2 - Michonne

The Proposal

A/N: First, thank you so much everyone who left a review! It really means a lot and encourages me to keep writing. I hope you like the follow-up chapter!

Also, it's spring now. (in the story)

…..

Chapter 2 - Michonne

The first thing I realized when I woke up was that I was alone. I turned my head to look at the empty spot where Rick should have been. He never came home last night.

It's amazing, really, how quickly you can get used to something.

We've only been together for a couple weeks and already I hate sleeping without him by my side. Even if one or both of us have watch duty, we typically get at least a few hours together every night.

Our time alone together is often heated and passionate, but I've gotten to know Rick's softer side, too. He can be surprisingly gentle and affectionate. When we finally fall asleep, he likes to drape an arm over me, weaving his fingers through mine. Or he'll whisper, 'Come here' and I'll snuggle up close, resting my head on his shoulder, feeling content.

Right now I am feeling anything but content. A small seed of worry has been planted in my stomach.

Where was Rick? Why haven't I seen him since early evening yesterday? Does the answer to that second question have something to do with how distant he seemed all day yesterday?

I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I rested my head in my hands for a few moments, gathering my energy.

It was sitting there, uncharacteristically hesitant to start the day, that I settled on the question that was really bothering me.

I know that something has been on Rick's mind lately. I can read him better than he realizes, so I know that something's been off. Something related to us.

But I asked him about it. Normally I don't hesitate to confront him if I feel strongly about something, no matter how sensitive the subject. I'm always honest with him. So why am I now so hesitant to ask, 'Is something wrong?'

"Stop," I told myself, shaking my head and resolving to put my negative thoughts aside. Today was a new day.

I was about to start my morning stretches when I noticed something unusual on the bedside table. There was a folded piece of paper. A single dogwood bloom, obviously picked from the tree in our neighbor's yard, sat beside the paper.

The note read ' _Meet me at the gazebo –R'_.

Despite being upset with Rick not thirty seconds ago, I smiled. He must have snuck in and put this here while I was asleep.

I folded up the note and put it in my pocket. Speeding up my morning routine, I splashed water on my face, put on my favorite headband, pulled on my boots, and slung my katana over my shoulder. I picked up the pale pink bloom, spun it in my fingers, and ultimately decided to tuck it behind my ear.

Rick's never tried to pull anything cute like this before. Clearly, he's up to something.

I rushed downstairs and saw Carol and Maggie in the kitchen together but didn't stop to chat. Once outside, though, I slowed my pace. I suddenly felt nervous.

Instead of heading straight to the gazebo in the center of town, I took a long, circuitous route. Rick didn't specify a time to meet in his note, which probably meant that he was already waiting and I should go as soon as I woke up. He had no way to know exactly when I woke up, so it was safe to assume I had a few minutes to spare.

I walked around the perimeter of town, stomping through the long grasses, running my hand along the metal wall, looking for signs of trouble. This was something I did at least once a day. Rick's note weighed heavily inside my pocket.

'What the hell are you so afraid of?' I could practically hear Andrea demanding.

She would plant herself directly in front of me with her trademark incredulous look on her face, hands on her hips.

"I'm not afraid of anything!" I retorted, definitely not in the mood to answer her prying questions.

Frustrated, I stepped around a supporting brace and continued my walk along the wall.

"Then why are you running away?" Andrea was nothing if not persistent.

Before I could open my mouth to counter her, she pointed out, "This isn't the way to the gazebo."

"I'm not running away," I muttered under my breath, "I'm going there after I finish checking the wall."

Andrea followed a few steps behind me.

"This place is you home. These people are your family, remember? Rick is your family. It's okay to let him in," she said gently.

I slowed to a stop and looked at the ground.

"I know," I breathed.

But it's hard. Letting someone in like that, it's frightening to know that my life is tied to his, knowing how devastated I would be if I lost him.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reminding myself that I've already made that choice. I've already decided that it's worth it to love people and I've already made my feelings for Rick abundantly clear.

"So what are you scared of, Meesh?" Andrea asked, tilting her head and looking at me curiously.

I'm afraid that he'll change his mind. That he'll say he's not ready, that he still feels guilty because of Carl's mom.

And don't say I'm being stupid. I was there, only days after she died. I saw what it did to him, how long it took him to come back from that.

He still wears his wedding ring. It's not that I resent it, I really don't. That ring is the last thing he has to remember her by. It would be too cruel to ask him to throw it away. I'm not going to throw away my 'M' necklace that Mike gave me on our first anniversary.

So I guess my fear is that he's not really here, that he's still in that dark place, seeing ghosts around every corner. It feels like he's here, with me, but I can't really be a hundred percent sure. Some days I'm not sure if I'm really here.

Andrea sighed and tucked her blonde curls back behind her ears.

She looked in my eyes and said, "Michonne, you are alive and Rick is alive. You both deserve to be here. He adores you. He would do anything for you."

I know she's right. The way Rick is when he's alone with me, even if we're only standing on the porch talking in the sun, is different from the guarded way he is around anyone else. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who sees the real Rick without all his carefully guarded defenses.

And the way he touches me every chance he gets, the way he looks to me first whenever there's a hint of trouble brewing, the way he moans my name when we make love…I know what we have is real.

"Michonne?" Andrea prompted me the way she did whenever I got lost in thought and missed something she said.

"Yes, I know," I said, "I know what to do."

"Then hurry up and go to him!" my friend smirked playfully.

I smiled but I wanted to cry at the same time because I knew that Andrea wasn't really here.

"I miss you," I whispered to the still morning air.

Before I could change my mind, I turned and walked towards the gazebo in the center of town. Sure enough, as I got closer I could see a familiar figure sitting on the bench. He stood up when I drew closer.

Rick was wearing the same clothes from yesterday. He looked sort of tired and edgy, making me think that he probably hadn't slept at all.

"Hey there," Rick greeted me, clearly relieved to see me.

I saw his eyes dart to the flower in my hair and a smile flickered in his blue eyes.

"You didn't come home last night," I stated.

As much as I wanted to find out what he was up to, I also wanted him to know I was unhappy about waking up alone. I stood across from him, arms crossed, leaning back against the wooden frame of the gazebo.

"I'm sorry," Rick said, taking a step closer to me, "I needed some time to think. To clear my head."

"Is something wrong?" I frowned, suddenly worried.

"No. Nothing bad," Rick assured me, then tried to explain again, "Life changes so fast these days, I think sometimes I need to stand back and let things sink in, you know. Try not to react all the time, but try to think about what I'm doing."

His sincerity always disarms me. I felt the tension in my body soften. And after all, isn't that what I was doing just now? I was taking some time to put my jumbled thoughts in order, so I could hardly blame him for doing the same.

"I understand," I said, finally reaching for him.

Rick smiled but he didn't lean in for a kiss like I was expecting. Instead he stood there awkwardly and I realized that he had one hand hidden behind his back.

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on here?" I raised an eyebrow.

Rick's smile filled his face. He pulled his hand out from behind his back and presented me with a bouquet of flowers, all picked from our neighbors' yards.

"What's this for?" I asked, amused by the unexpected gift.

"Michonne, there's something I need to tell you," Rick began, suddenly serious again.

"I've never told you how much you mean to me. Back at the prison, I think even then I cared about you. In all my darkest moments, you've always been by my side and I've never said thank you."

"Rick, you don't have to…" I started, but Rick wasn't finished.

"No, I need to say it. Michonne," he took my hand in his and got down on one knee.

My mouth fell open in surprise. Rick faltered for a second, seeming to decide that the gesture was too cheesy, but he'd gone too far to backtrack. He ended up kneeling on both knees, holding my hand and looking up at me.

"Michonne, I don't know what will happen tomorrow or even today but I know that I love you. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life by your side," Rick said, every word tender and heartfelt.

My throat felt tight and my eyes started to blur.

"Will you marry me?" Rick asked the last thing that I had expected to hear when I woke up today.

I was struck speechless and Rick's face was now so blurry that I could barely see him.

"Uh-oh, are you crying?" he stood up again, probably worried that he'd gone too far, "Michonne?"

I was so overwhelmed that I could barely manage to say, "Yes!" as I threw my arms around his neck. I hugged him so tightly that I felt him breathe a sigh of relief at my answer. It felt like my heart had burst and my tears were overflowing.

With my lips against his ear, I said softly, "I love you too, Rick Grimes. I will follow you anywhere."

"Michonne…" he said my name affectionately and rubbed my back.

As the rush of emotion subsided enough for me to wipe my eyes, I loosened my embrace and, before our lips met, I could tell that Rick's eyes were wet too.

The kiss felt just as electric as our very first, but this time I let it linger, finally unafraid of what the future holds.

...

A/N: Maybe my bonus trivia for Chapter 1 was too hard. I was going to give a hint and say who's line it was, but she only had one line and that would have given it away. No trivia for this one, only fluff!


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